Bags Of Theology

We had our chance. They told us our use of plastic bags was getting out of control. They tried to warn us, but would we listen? Some employed the ‘carrot’ approach, enticing us to reuse our bags by offering us ‘green points’ in their loyalty schemes, but we would not be moved. So now it’s time for the stick.

 From the beginning of October, shops in England with more than 250 employees have had to start charging a minimum of 5p for each plastic carrier bag they give out. As often seems to be the case, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are way ahead of England, having introduced similar laws over the past few years.

 We were all given the option of behaving responsibly, but too few of us took it; the waste piles continued to grow, and we had to be forced to comply by law rather than by choice.

 For some, the reasons were philosophical – they didn’t believe that the issue was serious enough to warrant action. For others, they were more practical – a simple inability to remember to take bags every time they went out on the off-chance they might need to buy groceries later.

Some, I’m sure, were just too lazy or selfish to make it their problem. That’s the category I’d fall into – if the shop I was patronising didn’t award points for my reused bags, I wouldn’t bother to take any with me. I knew it was a good thing to do. It was easy. It represented a negligible inconvenience to my life, yet I didn’t do it anyway.

 It’s the tiniest of examples, but there’s a well-known principle about those who are – or are not – faithful in the small things. If ‘I do not do the good I want to do’ (Romans 7:19) in this relatively trivial area, that’s probably a reflection on my likelihood – or not – of doing the bigger good things I want to do. ‘What a wretched [person] I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?’ (Romans 7:24).

 Maybe you think I’m making too much of a simple carrier bag, but it has served to remind me this week of the reality of my sinful nature and my need for a saviour.

 ‘Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!’ (Romans 7:25).

Jennie Pollock is a writer and editor. She blogs at jenniepollock.com and tweets as @missjenniep

 

Taken from LICC (London Institute of Contemporary Theology) Connecting with Culture